Tyson Fury's trainer SugarHill Steward says the WBC champion can be ready to fight WBO, WBA and IBF titlist Oleksandr Usyk on April 29, but preparation will be hard; The WBA set a deadline for contracts to be signed by April 1 before they order mandatory defence against Daniel Dubois
Tuesday 21 March 2023 12:53, UK
Tyson Fury's coach has admitted that, if he is to fight Oleksandr Usyk as soon as April 29, he will need "to train extra hard" to be ready.
The latest round of negotiations for their undisputed heavyweight title fight has gone public, with both fighters taking verbal jabs at one another on social media.
But Usyk has insisted he will agree to Fury's terms if the contest can be set for Saturday April 29.
The date leaves Fury, the WBC heavyweight champion, limited time to conduct a full camp with coach SugarHill Steward.
"If that's what they agree on and that's what he wants to do, if he feels he can get ready for April 29 and fight Usyk then he'll just have to train extra hard for that," Steward told Sky Sports News.
"It's a short bit of time but I believe Tyson has the ability and the physical attributes to handle the situation."
He is fully confident in Fury when it comes to taking on Usyk, the unified WBO, WBA and IBF titlist.
"The gameplan is always a knockout," Steward said.
"It's setting it up, using certain punches, certain movements to make your opponent move into that knockout punch.
"Good jabs set up knockouts.
"Every fight is adjustments and watching what your opponent does and making adjustments," he continued.
He added with a smile: "It's not just one gameplan ever. It's seven, eight, nine, 10, 11, 12, 13. We're only doing 12 rounds but you've got an extra one in the bag always."
The undisputed heavyweight championship fight will have to be confirmed soon.
WBA president Gilberto Mendoza has said that the WBA will need to receive a signed Fury vs Usyk bout contract by April 1 or they will instruct Usyk to begin negotiations with their mandatory heavyweight challenger, Daniel Dubois, in order to retain that title.
